Camera head for tripods



amh&14l9, J. .scHULTz mwm CAMERA HEAD FOR TRIPODS Filed Nov. 26, 1946 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAMERA HEAD FOR TRIPODS Joseph W. Schultz, Culver City, Calif.

Application November 26, 1946, Serial No. 712,305

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a camera head for a tripod, that is, to a head applicable to a tripod to carry a camera or the like, and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, compact and inexpensive head serving to effectively mount a camera on a tripod for universal adjustment. My present invention is concerned, generally, with a head applicable to a tripod and adapted to carry a camera so the camera is supported for adjustment to various angles or positions relative to the tripod and it is particularly useful and practical for supporting cameras of the type ordinarily referred to as studio cameras, since it is frequently necessary to pitch or adjust such cameras to various angles and it is important that they be held firmly during operation or exposure.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a camera head for adjustably supporting a camera on a tripod, which head is not only adjustable in various directions to, in effect, carry the camera for universal adjustment or movement, but is such that such adjustments or movements can be made quickly and with little effort.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a head of the character referred to involving a minimum number of simple, practical, dependable parts. The head construction that I have provided involves, primarily, but three principal parts, namely, a base plate, a head plate, and a coupler equipped with suitable pivotal connections and with an operating means for tilting one plate relative to the other.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a head of the general character referred to involving a simple, practical, easily operated adjusting means or operating means whereby the head plate is adjustable or tiltable relative to the base plate.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head provided by the present invention showing it applied to a typical tripod and carrying a typical camera. Fig. 2 is a front view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, being a view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig.

3. Fig. 6 is a reduced side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, showing the mechanism in another position, and Fig. 7 is a reduced View of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4, showing those parts in a different position.

The head of the present invention is applicable to any ordinary tripod such as is intended for carrying a camera or the like, and broadly, it may be used to mount or support any suitable camera. In the drawings I have shown the camera A as a typical studio camera including a bed plate IEI applicable to the head that I have provided and which, in turn, is carried by the tripod B. The particular tripod illustrated involves a center or frame member II to which a plurality of legs l2 are coupled by suitable pivot pins IS.

The head that I have provided involves two plates, one a base plate I4, the other a head plate l5, a coupler l6, means I 1 pivotally connecting the coupler and base plate, means 18 pivotally connecting the coupler and the head plate, means l9 retaining the base plate on the frame of the tripod, means 20 retaining the camera on the head plate, and means 2| for operating the head plate relative to the base plate.

The base plate I4 is applicable to the frame I I of the tripod and in the preferred form of the invention it is a simple flat plate with a bottom 22 finished to rest upon the top 23 of the tripod frame. The base plate l4 may be varied widely in size, form and configuration so long as it properly carries or accommodates elements of the means I! and 2|, as will be hereinafter described.

The head plate l5 may be a simple fiat plate with a finished top face 24 on which the bed ID of the camera rests. The plate l5, like the plate [4, may be varied widely in form, siZe and shape so long as it properly carries or accommodates the elements of means 18 and 2|, as will be hereinafter described.

The coupler I6 links or joins the plates l4 and 15 through the pivotal connections I! and I8. In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in the drawings the coupler I6 is a yoke-shaped member having a body or web portion 30 connected to the base plate I4 by the means I! and having spaced upwardly projecting arm portions 3| connected to the head plate I 5 by the means IS.

The means I! pivotally connecting the coupler IS with the base plate l4 couples these parts or elements on a pivotal axis which is normal or at right angles to and intersecting the axis of the means I 9 which retains the plate l4 on the frame of the tripod. When the parts are in the normal or usual position such as is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3

and 4 of the drawings, the frame of the tripod is positioned so that the axis of means if) is perpendicular, in which case the axis of means ll is horizontal. I prefer to locate the axis of the means I! at right angles to that of means i9 and also somewhat above the base plate i l.

The form of means H illustrated in the drawings involves an upstanding lug 32 on the base plate l4 and a clamp screw 33 carried by the body of the coupler it and having threaded connection with the lug. The lug 32 is shown located at the outer edge portion or margin of the plate i4 and the screw 33 which is rotatably carried by the coupler is shown threaded into a nut 34 made fast in the lug 32 to be, in effect, a part thereof. The lug 32 is located opposite or adjacent what I will term the inner side 35 of the coupler body 30. I prefer to provide a friction washer 36 on the screw 33 between the body 30 and the lug 32. A head 31 is provided on the screw 33 at the outer side 38 of the body 39 and I prefer to provide the head 3'! with an operating handle 39 which projects a substantial distance therefrom so the screw can be conveniently operated. When the screw is loosened the coupler Hi can be easily or freely rotated relative to the base plate l4 about the axis of the screw and, in practice, it will be apparent that the parts that I have thus far described can be proportioned and related so that the couples it can be rotated through a wide angle about the axis of the screw 33. When the coupler i6 is in the desired position it can be set against movement by merely tightening the screw through suitable manipulation of the handle 39.

The pivotal connecting means is which connects the coupler l6 and the head i involves depending lugs Ml on the head plate i5 and pivot pins 4| connecting the lugs 49 and the arms ill of the coupler. The lugs 40 preferably depend from the edge or marginal portions of the plate i5 and are so located that the plate i5 is carried above or in a position to overlie the plate M as I have shown in the drawings. The pivot pins 44 that I have shown are made fast in the arms SI of the coupler and rotate in the openings 42 provided in the lugs 40. The pivot pins may be threaded into the arms 3| in which case they are in the nature of screw members with heads 43 at the outer sides of the lugs 40. In the preferred arrangement of parts as shown in the drawings the coupler fits between the spaced lugs 4c.

The two pivot pins 4! are co-axial and the axis of the pins or the axis of pivotal connection between the coupler and head plate is normal or at right angles to that of means ll. In the preferred arrangement of parts the axis of means it is located somewhat above the axis of means H. In fact it is located between the plate l5 and the means IT and is horizontal when the parts are in the normal unactuated position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. It will be apparent however that when the coupler I6 is operated to a tilted position such as is shown in Fig. '7 the axis of means I8 is correspondingly tilted.

The means [9 retaining the base plate M on the frame ll of the tripod is preferably a screw means involving, generally, a screw member 50 passing upwardly through a central vertical opening 5| in the frame II and coupled or connected to the base plate It. I prefer to thread the screw member 50 into an opening 52 provided in the base plate M to register with the opening 5i. In practice I may provide a plurality of openings 52, and as shown in the drawings I have provided two such openings so as to allow variations in position of the head of the present invention on the tripod frame. The screw member 50 depends from the frame member I i of the tripod and a hand nut 53 is threaded on the member 58 below the frame so that it can be clamped against the bottom of the frame member. When the hand nut 53 is loosened the base plate M can be freely turned or rotated to any desired rotative position on or relative to the frame ll. When the base plate I4 is in the desired rotative position relative to the frame member l i it can be set in that position by tightening the hand nut 53 on the screw member 50.

The camera retaining means 26 is preferably a screw means and in the form illustrated it involves a screw 6% passing up through an opening 6! in the head plate i5 and coupled to the bed IU of the camera A. I have shown the screw 60 threaded into an opening 62 in the bed of the camera and I have shown the screw provided with a handle 63 at the under side of plate l5 which handle can be conveniently operated by the hand of the operator. When the screw 50 is loosened the camera can be bodily rotated to any desired position on the head plate l5 and when in the desired position it can be set or made fast by tightening the screw 63.

The operating means 2| provided for operating the head plate 15 relative to the base plate I4 is a lever or link mechanism connecting the plates at a point removed from the means l8, which link or lever mechanism is adjustable to vary the spacing or angular positioning of the head plate l5 relative to the base plate M. In the preferred form of the invention the means 2| involves two levers or arms, one an arm 65 pivotally connected to one plate and the other an arm 66 pivotally connected to the other plate. In the arrangement illustrated the arm 65 is considerably longer than the arm 68, being in the nature of a rod, and has its inner end pivotally connected to plate l5 by a pivot pin 6'! carried by spaced lugs 68 projecting from plate l5. A suitable handle 69 is provided on the outer end of the rod which forms the arm 65.

.The arm 66 is coupled or connected to the base plate M by means of a rotatable pivotal connection which involves a pivot pin I0 pivotally con necting the inner end of arm 66 to a pivot block I l' which, in turn, is pivotally connected to an upstanding lug 72 on the plate M. The lug 12 is preferably located at the margin or peripheral edge portion of plate Hi. The pivot block H has spaced ears 13 receiving the arm 66 and carrying the pivot pin 10. A threaded stud 15 projects from the block H and is rotatably carried in an opening '16 provided in the lug 12. means i1 is provided on the projecting end of the threaded stud 15. The nut 11 may be a friction nut engaging the stud 15 so that it will not become displaced therefrom, in which case the nut retains the stud in proper engagement with the lug 12, allowing for free rotation of the stud and consequently the block H relative to the lug 12.

In accordance with my invention the axis of the stud 15 is coincidental with that of the pivotal connection ll, that is, the stud i5 is coaxial with the screw 33 and is located diametrically opposite the pivotal connection I1 so that the pivotal axis of the stud i5 and the connection I! intersects the pivotal axis of means l9. Thus, the means 2| does not in any way interfere with free turning or rocking of the head [5 about the pivotal connection I1.

A sliding connection is provided between the A nut or retainingouter end of arm 66 and the arm 65. The arm 55 being in the form of a rod is preferably round in cross section and is slidably carried in an opening I8 provided in the enlarged outer end portion I9 of arm 66. I provide means for setting or clamping the arm 65 against movement relative to arm 66. For this purpose the enlarged end I9 of arm 66 is split at 80 and a clamp screw 8| is carried by the split portion of the part I9. By tightening the clamp screw M the arm 65 is gripped so that it will not slide relative to the arms 66.

. From an examination of Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings it will be apparent how the means 2| can be operated when the clamp screw 8| is released so that the head plate I5 is moved to various angles relative to the base plate I6 about the pivotal axis I8. By properly proportioning the parts and by making the arm 65 of substantial length the plate I 5 can be moved through a very wide angle relative to the base plate I4. It will be apparent that as the arm 65 is operated as by engaging handle 69 to move the plate I5 to different angles relative to plate I4, the arm 66 varies or pivots about the pin I0. Furthermore, it will be apparent that by having established screw 33 of means II and the stud I5 of means 2i on a common axis I am able to tilt the head plate I5 about the pivotal connecting means I"! when the head plate I5 is adjusted to any desired position about the pivotal axis I8.

In using the structure that I have provided the base plate I I is ordinarily applied to the frame of the tripod in any convenient rotative position and the camera is applied to the head plate I5 so that it is secure or firmly held thereon and faces away from the side of the head mechanism from which the arm 65 projects, thus locating the handle 69 of the arm 65 at the rear or plate end of the camera. In setting the camera to take a picture it can be bodily rocked to either side about the pivotal axis of means I! and it can be pitched to face up or down at any desired angle by adjustment of the plate I5 about the axis of means l8. Ordinarily in most instances it is desired to face the camera downward somewhat at an angle rather than upward and this can be readily accomplished when the camera is set on the head in the manner illustrated in the drawings. If it is desired to face the camera upward rather than downward or horizontally it is a simple matter to rotate it on the head I5 to a position where it faces from the side of the head at which the lever 65 is located.

When the camera has been faced or positioned at the desired angle it can be made secure or may be firmly set for exposure by tightening the screw 33 of means II and the screw 8| of means 2i, the means [9 and 20 having been initially set so that the connections between the head and the camera are tight.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates one a base plate applicable to the tripod and the other a head plate for carrying the camera, a coupler pivotally connected to each plate, and operating means operable to tilt the head plate relative to the base plate including two members one pivotally connected to the base and the other pivotally connected to the head and means slidably pivotally connecting said members one to the other.

2. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates one a base plate applicable to the tripod and the other a head plate for carrying the camera, a yoke shaped coupler pivotally connected to each plate, and operating means operable to tilt the head plate relative to the base plate.

3. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates one a base plate applicable to the tripod and the other a head plate for carrying the camera, a coupler pivotally connected to each plate, and operating means operable to tilt the head plate relative to the base plate including two slidably connected arms, one pivotally connected to one plate and the other pivotally connected to the other plate.

4. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates one a base plate applicable to the tripod and the other a head plate for carrying the camera, a couple pivotally connected to each plate, and operating means operable to tilt the head plate relative to the base plate including two slidably connected arms, one pivotally connected "to one plate and the other pivotally connected to the other plate and clamp means operable to set the arms against relative movement.

5. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates, one a base plate the other a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler and base plate, means pivotally connecting the coupler and the head plate, the axes of said means being in planes at right angles to each other, and means connecting the plates and operable to tilt the head plate about the axis of the first mentioned means including two slidably related arms one pivotally connected to the head plate and the other pivotally coupled to the base plate on an axis coincidental with the axis of said first mentioned means.

6. A camera head for a tripod including, two plates, one a base plate the other a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler and base plate, means pivotally connecting the coupler and the head plate, the axes of said means being in planes at right angles to each other, and means connecting the plates and operable to tilt the head plate about the axis of the first mentioned means including two slidably related arms one pivotally connected to the head plate and the other pivotally coupled to the base plate on an axis coincidental with the axis of said first mentioned means, and means operable to clamp the arms against relative movement.

'7. A camera head fora tripod including, two plates, one a base plate the other a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler and base plate, means pivotally connecting the coupler and the head plate, the axes of said means being in planes at right angles to each other, and means connecting the plates and operable to tilt the head plate about the axis of the first mentioned means including two slidably related arms one pivotally connected to the head plate and the other pivotally coupled to the base plate on an axis coincidental with the axis of said first mentioned means, one arm being an elongate rod having a handle at its outer end.

8. A camera head for a tripod including, a base plate, means connecting the plate to the tripod on a vertical axis, a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the 7 base plate on a horizontal axis, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the head on an axis in a plane normal to the said horizontal axis, and operating means including a rod, means pivotally connecting the rod to the head, an arm, a block pivotally carried by the base plate on an axis concentric with the said horizontal axis, and means pivotally connecting the-arm to said block.

'9. A camera head for a tripod including, a base plate, means connecting the plate to the tripod on a vertical axis, a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the base plate on a horizontal axis, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the head on an axis in a plane normal to the said horizontal axis, and operating means including a rod, means pivotally connecting the rod to the head, an arm having a transverse opening slidably carrying the rod, a block pivotally carried by the base plate on the said horizontal axis, and means pivotally connecting the arm to said block.

10. A camera head for a tripod including, a base plate, means connecting the plate to the tripod on a vertical axis, a head plate, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the base plate on a horizontal axis, means pivotally connecting the coupler to the head on an axis in a plane normal to the said horizontal axis, and operating means including a rod, means pivotally connecting the rod to the head, an am having a transverse opening slidably carrying the .rod, clamp means operable to set the rod against movement in said opening, a block pivotally carried by the base plate on said horizontal axis, and

means pivotally connecting the arm to said block on an axis normal to said horizontal axis.

11. A camera head for a tripod including, a base plate, means connecting the plate to the tripod on a vertical axis, lugs projecting upwardly from the plate at diametrically opposite points relative to said axis, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to one of the Hugs :on .a transverse axis normal to said vertical axis, ag-head, means pivotally connecting the cou- .pler and 'head on an axis in a plane Jnormal to the axis of the said transverse axis, and operating means (including two slidably connected-arms, *one arm being pivotally connected to the head, -a block pivotally carrying the other arm and :rotatably :carried by the other lug on the said transverse axis.

il -2. .-A :camera :head for a tripod including, a base plate, means connecting the plate to the tripod on a vertical :axis, lugs projecting upwardly lfirom the plate at diametrically opposite points relative to said axis, a coupler, means pivotally connecting the coupler to one of the lugs on an axis .normal to said vertical axis, a head, means pivotally connecting the coupler and head on an axis in a plane normal to the axis of the means connecting the coupler and base, and operating means including two slidably connected arms, one arm being pivotally connected to the head, a block pivotally carrying the other arm and roltatably carried by the other lug on an axis concentric with that of the means connecting the coupler and base, the axis of the connection between said other arm and the block being at right :angles to the axis on which the block is carried'by the lug.

JOSEPH W, SCHULTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 439,098 Blake Oct. 28, 1890 622,045 Hein Mar. 28, 1899 803,831 Krauth Nov. 7, 1905 927,894 Sterling July 13, 1909 1,489,651 Bailey Jan. 15, 1924 2,368,192 Bishop et a1. 1 Jan. 30, 1945 

